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Date Posted: 14:03:34 04/15/02 Mon
Author: Dirck
Subject: Re: There are MANY truths
In reply to: QUITTNER 's message, "Re: There are MANY truths" on 11:11:51 04/15/02 Mon

"One might equate growing up with a mistrust of words. A mature person trusts his eyes more than his ears. Irrationality often manifests itself in upholding the word against the evidence of the eyes. To most of us nothing is so invisible as an unpleasant truth. Though it is held before our eyes, pushed under our noses, rammed down our throats - we know it not." Quoted from Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983) Author of The True Believer

You are probably already familiar with Hoffer's work, but just in case it slipped by you, his book: The True Believer, 1951, is considered to be a classic study of the perception of Reality and Truth. Eisenhower awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom for it. I used his quote because it really points up what you are saying about "propaganda mills" and "biased originators".

I know that my comments are optimistic and I hope I don't come across as a Peace-nick or someone who is living in a pink cloud. My optimism is based on the concept that once a Truth is revealed, it is no longer available to be exploited en mass. A few crack pots will always sign on but the larger population will reject it. When you add up all of the Truths that have been revealed over the millenea... there are alot of falsehoods that are no longer available to exploit. The majority of the world's people are no longer suseptible to the idea that "We need to sacrafice a virgin at the alter of blood, to insure that the Sun rises again tomorrow". Which was probably a really great way for an Emporer to get his own way since he was the one choosing who gets sacraficed.

I'm trying to look at the big picture which means that I have to consider the entire history from single cell to the current situation. That may be too broad of a brush stroke... I'm not really sure. You are right about the middle east if you look at a locked down window of time. It doesn't look like it is improving, but if you look at the entire history it has improved.

Dirck

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